Skutt benefit planned

Family and friends are contributing to a benefit Saturday for an Edenville Township man undergoing treatment for a rare disease that has left him paralyzed from the waist down.

In September, Dan Skutt began suffering from a backache. By the time the end of November rolled around, Skutt was nearly unable to walk. MRIs and nerve testing helped doctors determine Skutt suffers from the rare Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a disorder in which the bodys immune system attacks the peripheral nerves. He has been given medication to build up his immune system to fight the disorder, and is undergoing further treatment that is expected to last for six months.

"Hes not the type to sit," said his wife, Connie, explaining the last few months have been hard for Dan and the rest of the family, which includes their four children and five grandchildren.

The benefit, featuring a spaghetti dinner and silent auction, is to raise money to pay for medical bills that are not covered by insurance.

The event is set for 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Sanford. Donations to the silent auction include a Charles Denault print, a circular saw, afghans and six full dinners from the Menu Manager. Fazolis is giving breadsticks, as well as coupons to use at the restaurant; 15 percent of the purchase price the coupon is used for will be given to the Skutts.